Apparatus for dispensing gas



July 28, 1942. H. B. RUDD APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING GAS Filed Aug. 10, 1939 INVENTOR. as. M BY W, M M

ATTORNEYS.

"admission of liquefied gas thereinto.

' showing my novel method of fillin 4 gas; and. v

integrally therewith, this ,wall and, in the example tical configuration.

Patented Jul 28,1942

UNITED STATES 2,231,288 APPARATUS roa DISPENSING GAS Harry B. Budd, Flushin to Air Reduction Company,.

mesne assignments,

g, N. Y., assign'or, by

Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application August 10,

v 2 Claims. My invention relates to the art of dispensing gas under pressure and, more particularly, to the art of charging or filling containers or drums with gas to a desired pressure. y

In accordance with my invention, drums are charged in succession from a container holding gas at high pressure, an arrangement being pro-. vided for increasing the gas pressure within said container when desirable or necessary, as by the Various other objects, advantages and features of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in the art of filling drums, features and arrangements of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of one of the forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1' is a diagrammatic representation drums with Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the converters shown in Fig. 1. v

Referring to' the drawing; I have illustrated a container, casing or converter A which, as here in shown, is of seamless, tubular configuration and is supported in vertical upright relation by suitable standards I which rest upon a floor or other surface and, at their upper ends, are suitably attached to said converter A. As clearly shown, the converter A comprises a curved lower section 2 which, if desired, may terminate in a r depending neck 3 having a passage threaded interiorly for the reception of a suitable closure device such, for example, as a nozzle 4, the upper threaded end of which is received in said internally threaded passage and the lower threaded end of which carries a cap 5 which may he removed when it becomes desirable to vent the converter A at the bottom thereof.

The converter A comprises a top wall 6 formed top wall 6, preferably, than the-lower tubular shown, said top wall 6 comprises a filling opening I of generally ellip- The opening 1 is adapted to be closed by a closure plate or member 8, the upper surface of which preferably carries a handle 9 and an attached chain Ill. The closure plate 8 comprises an upstanding flange H and a laterally extending section I2 both of elliptical configuration in correspondence with the configuration of the filling opening I. The corner having greater thickness 1939, Serial No. 289,389

formed by the flange H and the laterally extending section ii of the plate 8 is adapted to receive a gasket H which, when the converter A is used as hereinafter described, should be of 5 suitable non-inflammable material such, for example, as wet asbestos. In Fig. 1, the closure plate 8 is shown in closing position, the gasket l3 being compressed between the closure plate section 12 and the adjacent lower surface of the top wall 6, these surfaces with which the gasket l3 coacts having previously been machined so as to render them smooth and veven to thereby positively prevent leakage at the sealed joint.

A thin plate or member H formed preferably from metal having a thickness of s of an inch, more or less, is positioned horizontally in the lower converter section and welded thereto so as to be suitably maintained in fixed position. The plate It should be provided with a plurality of holes or passages Ma.

As herein disclosed, the converter A is a duplicate, or substantially so, of the converter disclosed in my application filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 289,387, filed-August 10, 1939-. Assuming that the closure plate 8 of the herein disclosed converter A is removed from its seat, a suitable quantity of liquefied gas, such as liquid oxygen, liquid air or liquid nitrogen, may be introduced into said converter, for example, in the manner disclosed in my aforesaid pending application wherein it is pointed out thatsthe converter should hold a measuring container formed from thin, sheet material such as sheet copper, sheet aluminum or the like, a measuring container of this character being exemplified by the container B of the converter A is herein disclosed. With a measuring container B of this character in the converter A and with said measuring container B containing a quantity of liquefied gas as disclosed in my aforesaid pending application, the closure plate 8 of the converter A is disposed on its seat and thus maintained until the evolution of gas increases the pressure interiorly of said converter A to such an extent that the interior gas pressure holds the closure plate seated and sealed on its seat.

Associated with the converter A is a high pres-' sure valve 15 as known in the art for controlling the fiow of gaseous oxygen, said valve l5 being threaded through the converter side wall so as to communicate with the interior of the converter, this valve l5 controlling the passage of high pressure gas to a suitable dispensing conduit l6 which, at its end remote from the converter A, includes a valve l1 and a pressure gauge I 4 and through a passage a duplicate of the converter A although, preferably and as shown herein, the height of the container Al is somewhat less than that of the converter A and, in addition, the container A! omits the nozzle 4 and cap 5 of the converter A. Disposed interiorly of the container Al and resting upon the plate 84 thereof is a container Bl which may be substantially a duplicate of the hereinbefore described container B except that it may be somewhat smaller.

Associated with the container AI is a valve 20, corresponding with the valve l5, which' is threaded through the container side wall so as to communicate with the interior thereof, this valve controlling the passage of gas along a suitable conduit 2| which leads to and is connected to the aforesaid conduit 16. Further, the container Al has a second valve 22 similar to the valve l5 threaded through the wall thereof so as to communicate with the interior thereof, the valve 22 being utilizable as hereinafter described. Still further, the container AI has a third valve 23 having a nipple 24 threaded into and through the internally threaded passage of the neck'3, this valve 23 alsohaving a conduit 25 associated therewith. As shown in Fig. l, the ni ple 24 extends upwardly through the plate in the bottom of the container Bl, said nipple 24, preferably, forming substantially a liquid-tight seal with the wall surface of said container Bl which defines said passage. The conduit 25 extends through a passage formed in the wall of the converter A, said conduit 25 being sealed to the wall surface defining said 25 comprising a downwardly extending end section which opens into the container B of the converter A.

As hereinbefore stated, the converter A is charged with a quantity of liquefied gas L whereupon the converter is sealed. Thereafter, the liquefied gas changes in phase and, after such change of phase has been completed, it results that the converter A is charged with gas at high pressure which, for example, may be of the order of 3,000 pounds per square inch. In accordance with the invention, the converter A is used to charge drums D in successionvwith gas having a desired high pressure such, for example, as 2,000 pounds per square inch.

To this end, a drum D having its control valve open may be connected to the dispensing end of the conduit l6 whereupon, with the valves I9, 20, 22, 23 closed and with the valve l5 opened, the'valve I1 is opened to place the interior of the converter A in communication with the interior of the associated drum D. As a result, the high pressure gas from the converter A is charged into said drum D until the gauge I 8 indicates that the desired drum pressure of 2,000 pounds per square inch has been reached. When this operation has been completed, the valve I1 is closed and the associated drum D disconnected from the dispensing end of the conduit l5. v

Thereupon," one or more other drums D may passage and, further, said conduit to the action of gravity,

ing operation is effected,

be connected in similar manner and in succession to the dispensing end of the conduit ii to thereby charge said drums from. the converter A in the manner described so that each of them contains gashaving the desired pressure of 2,000 pounds per square inch. Eventually, a condition is reached wherein the gas pressure of the converterv A, even' though relatively high, is less than 2,000 pounds per square inch and hence ,insufiicient to charge a drum D to the desired pressure, .When this happens, the drum-chargin accordance with my invention,- in the following manner. 1

Assuming that the closure plate 8 of the container Al is removed from its seat and, while the valves 20, 22 and remain closed,.a charge of liquefied gas L is obtained in the container BI in the manner disclosed, for example, in my aforesaid pending application. Thereupon, the closure plate 8 of the container AI is returned to its seat and manually or otherwise held in seated positionuntil the evolution of gas within said container Al increases the gas pressure sufficiently to hold said closure plate 8 on its seat. Thereupon, while the valves l1, I9, 22 and 23 remain closed, the valves l5 and 20 are opened. As a result, the gaseous pressurebetween the converter A and the container A] is balanced in response to fiow of gas from the converter A to the container Al by way of the conduits l5 and 2|. As soon as the gas pressure is thus balanced, the valve 23 is opened and, in response 7 liquefied gas flows from the container Bl to the container B by way. of the nipple 24, valve 23 and conduit 25. As soon as this action has been completed, thevalves 20 and 23 are closed.

. The additional supply of liquefied gas which has thus been charged into the container -B of the converter A now changes in phase to increase the gas pressure in said converter A to a substantial extent above the desired pressure to which the drums D are to be charged. As soon as this action has been completed, the drumcharging operation is renewed by successively connecting drums D to the dispensing end of the conduit I 6 and permitting gas to flow into said drums D in response to opening of the valve II, the valve l5 remaining opened and the valves I9, 20, 22 and 23 remaining closed during such operation.

Accordingly, in the manner described, additional quantities ofliquefied gas L are chargedintothe container vB from the container -Bl as required to thereby maintain the gas pressure in the converter A charging purposes. I

It will be understood that the closure plate I of the container Al pressure. When this moved so that liquid closure plate 0 is to be rematerial may be disposed within the container Bl, the valve 22 is vented to the atmosphere, a similar venting operation being effected as regards the valve [0 when it becomes desirable to remove the closure plate I of the converter A from its seat. Inasmuch as the gas which is charged into the container Al serves no useful purpose, in so far as the drumcharging operation is concerned, it will be understood that the converter Al should be so designed that the gas space therein is a minimum.

In commercial operation at the present time, drums D which contain gaseous oxygen are charged to a pressure of 2,000 pounds per square inch and, therefore, I have arbitrarily selected sufliciently high for drumis held on. its seat by gas this value as the pressure to which the drums D should be charged. It shall be understood, however, that as regards the various pressures in the converter A and in the drums D, my invention is not to be limited to any particular range of pressures. That is, the converter pressures and the drum pressures may be selected as desired.

Although I have shown the converter A and the container Al as of substantially duplicate character, except as regards size, it shall be understood that the invention is not to be thus limited. Obviously, this converter and container need not be of duplicate character and, further, it will be understood that each converter and container unit herein illustrated may be taken as illustrative of banks of .converters and containers, the converters and containers of the respective banks being connected in series, if desired. Still further, whether of duplicate character or not, it will be understood that the converters and containers may be any of the practical various forms of containers known in the art as liquefiers for solid carbon dioxide.

After the converter A has been filled with liquefied gas, change in phase of the liquefied gas occurs in response to transfer of heat through the wall of said converter A from the ambient air. If desired, such change in phase may beexpedited by exchanging heat in any suitable manner with the liquefied gas.

I have described my invention ing to the charging of the converter A with liquefied gas which is passed thereinto through the filling opening thereof. If desired, said converter A may be a permanently sealed structure serving, in so far as change in phase of liquefied gas is concerned, solely as a converter of that herein as relatliquefied gas which is received thereinto from the converter. or container AI Although I have described my invention that aspect thereof which involves the charging of drums D from the dispensing conduit l6, it shall be understood that the invention is not to be thus restricted. As well, the gas obtained from the dispensing conduit It may be used as desired otherwise than for drum-charging pur- DOSES.

therein, it shall be understood that such gas,

0 said first container in above the lowest charging pressure which has been herein arbitrarily selected as 2,000 pounds per square inch.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred exam: ple which gives satisfactory results, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas-dispensing arrangement, a converter having a filling opening, a container interiorly of said converter and spaced from the interior wall surface thereof, said container being adapted to receive a quantity of liquefied gas, a closure plate adapted to be disposed in sealing relation with respect to said filling opening after said container has been charged with liquefied gas, a second converter adapted to be sealed from the atmosphere, a second container interiorly of said second converter and spaced .from the interior wall surface thereof, means for equalizing the pressure between said converters,

means for passing liquefied gas from said first container to said second container, and a dispensing conduit adapted to be associated with said second converter.

2. In a gas-dispensing arrangement, a converter having a filling opening, a container interiorly of said converter and spaced from the interior wall surface thereof, said container being adapted to receive a quantity of liquefied gas, a closure plate adapted to be disposed in sealing relation with respect to said filling opening after said container has been charged with liquefied gas, a second converter adapted to be sealed from the atmosphere, a second container interiorly of said second converter and spaced from the interior wall surface thereof, said first named converter being disposed at a higher level than said second named converter, means comprising a conduit which connects said converters to equalize the pressure between them, means comprising a conduit for passing liquefied gas from to said second container under the influence of gravity, and a dispensing conduit adapted to be associated with said second converter.

HARRY B. RUDD. 

